Tubing remover

Abstract

There is disclosed herein a small and compact vacuum pump which serves as a portable vacuum source. The pump basically includes a cylinder coupled with a handle, and a piston in the cylinder with another handle, along with a suitable valving assembly for allowing a vacuum to be drawn at an inlet of the pump. More particularly, there is also disclosed a tubing remover which can be attached to or form an integral part of the pump. The tubing remover comprises a lever and a fulcrum positioned in proximity to the vacuum port of the pump. One arm of the lever has an opening which is large enough to encircle the vacuum port, but smaller than the outside diameter of the tubing, such that the arm can be juxtaposed between the proximal end of the tubing and the pump. When the other arm of the lever is drawn towards the pump by a finger of the operator's hand, the arm proximating the tubing pushes the tubing away from the vacuum port. The above described motion of the lever is stabilized with the aid of a fork which embraces a portion of the pump.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A hand-held vacuum pump, comprising a cylinder for isolating a volume from the atmosphere and having an inlet port and an outlet port,   biased piston means for drawing a vacuum through the inlet port of the cylinder and including a piston which can be moved in the cylinder,   handle means coupled with the cylinder means and the piston means, and   a tubing remover having a lever with at least two arms, one arm of the lever having an opening sized and dimensioned to at least partially encircle the inlet port and to allow the lever to rock while an engagement between the one arm of the lever and a tubing end on the inlet port is maintained, the opening juxtaposed between the tubing end and the vacuum pump, a rocker means for establishing a fulcrum between the lever and the vacuum pump, which rocker means enables the lever to reciprocate back and forth in a rocking motion, and means for stabilizing the rocking motion of the lever.   
     
     
       2. The pump as in claim 1 wherein the lever, rocker and means for stabilizing are formed from polyvinyl chloride.   
     
     
       3. In combination with a vacuum pump having a vacuum port and tubing having at least one end sized and dimensioned to mate with the vacuum port, a tubing remover for engaging the tubing end and facilitating removal of the tubing from the pump comprising: a lever having at least two arms, one arm of the lever having an opening sized and dimensioned to at least partially encircle the vacuum port and to allow the lever to rock while engagement between the one arm of the lever and the tubing end is maintained, the opening being juxtaposed between the tubing end and the vacuum pump,   a rocker means for establishing a fulcrum between the lever and the vacuum pump, which rocker means enables the lever to reciprocate back and forth in a rocking motion,   means for stabilizing the rocking motion of the lever, and   the second arm of the lever sized and dimensioned to allow finger control of the rocking motion.   
     
     
       4. The tubing remover as in claim 2 wherein the lever, rocker and means for stabilizing are formed from polyvinyl chloride.   
     
     
       5. A tubing remover for use in removing a tubing end from a vacuum port of a vacuum pump comprising: a lever having at least two arms, one arm of the lever having an opening sized and dimensioned to at least partially encircle the vacuum port and to allow the lever to rock while an engagement between the one arm and the tubing end on the vacuum port is maintained, the opening being juxtaposed between the tubing end and the vacuum pump,   a rocker means for establishing a fulcrum between the lever and the vacuum pump, which rocker means enables the lever to reciprocate back and forth in a rocking motion,   means for stabilizing the rocking motion of the lever, and   the second arm of the lever sized and dimensioned to allow finger control of the rocking motion.   
     
     
       6. The tubing remover as in claim 5 wherein the lever, rocker and means for stabilizing are formed from the group of materials; polyvinyl chloride, nylon.   
     
     
       7. A hand-held vacuum pump, comprising a cylinder for isolating a volume from the atmosphere and having an inlet port and an outlet port,   biased piston means for drawing a vacuum through the inlet port of the cylinder and including a piston which can be moved in the cylinder,   handle means coupled with the cylinder means and the piston means, and   a tubing remover having a lever with at least two arms, one arm of the lever having an opening comprising a substantially elliptical aperture, having long and short axes, the long axis falling within a plane defined by a rocking motion of the lever, the opening sized and dimensioned to encircle the vacuum port, the opening juxtaposed between a tubing end on the vacuum port and the vacuum pump, a rocker means for establishing a fulcrum between the lever and the vacuum pump, which rocker means enables the lever to reciprocate back and forth in a rocking motion, and means for stabilizing the rocking motion of the lever.   
     
     
       8. The pump as in claim 7 wherein the opening further comprises a substantially elliptical depression circumjacently disposed about the aperture and facing towards the tubing, the depression sized and dimensioned to accommodate the external diameter of the tubing end.   
     
     
       9. A hand-held vacuum pump, comprising a cylinder for isolating a volume from the atmosphere and having an inlet port and an outlet port,   biased piston means for drawing a vacuum through the inlet port of the cylinder and including a piston which can be moved in the cylinder,   handle means coupled with the cylinder means and the piston means, and   a tubing remover having a lever with at least two arms, one arm of the lever having an opening sized and dimensioned to at least partially encircle the vacuum port, the opening juxtaposed between a tubing end on the vacuum port and the vacuum pump, a rocker means for establishing a fulcrum between the lever and the vacuum pump, which rocker means enables the lever to reciprocate back and forth in a rocking motion, the rocker means comprising a substantially wedge-shaped extension from the lever, and means for stabilizing the rocking motion of the lever.   
     
     
       10. A hand-held vacuum pump, comprising a cylinder for isolating a volume from the atmosphere and having an inlet port and an outlet port,   biased piston means for drawing a vacuum through the inlet port of the cylinder and including a piston which can be moved in the cylinder,   handle means coupled with the cylinder means and the piston means, and   a tubing remover having a lever with at least two arms, one arm of the lever having an opening sized and dimensioned to at least partially encircle the vacuum port, the opening juxtaposed between a tubing end on the vacuum port and the vacuum pump, a rocker means for establishing a fulcrum between the lever and the vacuum pump, which rocker means enables the lever to reciprocate back and forth in a rocking motion, and means for stabilizing the rocking motion of the lever, said stabilizing means comprising a fork having a handle and at least two tines, the handle removably affixed to the lever, and the tines at least partially encircling a portion of the body.   
     
     
       11. In combination with a vacuum pump having a vacuum port and tubing having at least one end sized and dimensioned to mate with the vacuum port, a tubing remover for engaging the tubing end and facilitating removal of the tubing from the pump comprising: a lever having at least two arms, one arm of the lever having an opening comprising a substantially elliptical aperture having long and short axes, the long axis falling within a plane defined by a rocking motion of the lever, the opening being sized and dimensioned to encircle the vacuum port, the opening being juxtaposed between the tubing end and the vacuum pump,   a rocker means for establishing a fulcrum between the lever and the vacuum pump, which rocker means enables the lever to reciprocate back and forth in a rocking motion,   means for stabilizing the rocking motion of the lever, and   the second arm of the lever sized and dimensioned to allow finger control of the rocking motion.   
     
     
       12. The tubing remover as in claim 11 wherein the opening further comprises a substantially elliptical depression circumjacently disposed about the aperture and facing towards the tubing, the depression sized and dimensioned to accommodate the external diameter of the tubing end.   
     
     
       13. In combination with a vacuum pump having a vacuum port and tubing having at least one end sized and dimensioned to mate with the vacuum port, a tubing remover for engaging the tubing end and facilitating removal of the tubing from the pump comprising: a lever having at least two arms, one arm of the lever having an opening sized and dimensioned to at least partially encircle the vacuum port, the opening being juxtaposed between the tubing end and the vacuum pump,   a rocker means for establishing a fulcrum between the lever and the vacuum pump, which rocker means enables the lever to reciprocate back and forth in a rocking motion, the rocker means comprising a substantially wedge-shaped extension from the lever,   means for stabilizing the rocking motion of the lever, and   the second arm of the lever sized and dimensioned to allow finger control of the rocking motion.   
     
     
       14. In combination with a vacuum pump having a vacuum port and tubing having at least one end sized and dimensioned to mate with the vacuum port, a tubing remover for engaging the tubing end and facilitating removal of the tubing from the pump comprising: a lever having at least two arms, one arm of the lever having an opening sized and dimensioned to at least partially encircle the vacuum port, the opening being juxtaposed between the tubing end and the vacuum pump,   a rocker means for establishing a fulcrum between the lever and the vacuum pump, which rocker means enables the lever to reciprocate back and forth in a rocking motion,   means for stabilizing the rocking motion of the lever, said stabilizing means comprising a fork having a handle and at least two tines, the handle removably fixed to the lever, and the tines at least partially encircling a portion of the body, and   the second arm of the lever sized and dimensioned to allow finger control of the rocking motion.   
     
     
       15. A tubing remover for use in removing tubing from a vacuum port of a vacuum pump comprising: a lever having at least two arms, one arm of the lever having an opening comprising a substantially elliptical aperture having long and short axes, the long axes falling within a plane defined by a rocking motion of the lever, the aperture sized and dimensioned to encircle the vacuum port, the opening being juxtaposed between a tubing end and the vacuum pump,   a rocker means for establishing a fulcrum between the lever and the vacuum pump, which rocker means enables the lever to reciprocate back and forth in a rocking motion,   means for stabilizing the rocking motion of the lever, and   the second arm of the lever sized and dimensioned to allow finger control of the rocking motion.   
     
     
       16. The tubing remover as in claim 15 wherein the opening further comprises a substantially elliptical depression circumjacently disposed about the aperture and facing towards the tubing, the depression sized and dimensioned to accommodate the external diameter of the tubing end.   
     
     
       17. A tubing remover for use in removing tubing from a vacuum port of a vacuum pump comprising: a lever having at least two arms, one arm of the lever having an opening sized and dimensioned to at least partially encircle the vacuum port, the opening being juxtaposed between a tubing end and the vacuum pump,   a rocker means for establishing a fulcrum between the lever and the vacuum pump, which rocker means enables the lever to reciprocate back and forth in a rocking motion, the rocker means comprising a substantially wedge-shaped extension from the lever,   means for stabilizing the rocking motion of the lever, and   the second arm of the lever sized and dimensioned to allow finger control of the rocking motion.   
     
     
       18. A tubing remover for use in removing tubing from a vacuum port of a vacuum pump comprising: a lever having at least two arms, one arm of the lever having an opening sized and dimensioned to at least partially encircle the vacuum port, the opening being juxtaposed between a tubing end and the vacuum pump,   a rocker means for establishing a fulcrum between the lever and the vacuum pump, which rocker means enables the lever to reciprocate back and forth in a rocking motion,   means for stabilizing the rocking motion of the lever, said stabilizing means comprising a fork having a handle and at least two tines, the handle removably affixed to the lever, and the tines at least partially encircling a portion of the body, and   the second arm of the lever sized and dimensioned to allow finger control of the rocking motion.